Elon Musk opening Montessori school in Bastrop this fall
BASTROP, Texas (KXAN) -- A Montessori school program co-founded by SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk is opening a location in Bastrop this fall, according to a job posting and the school's website.
Ad Astra is a nonprofit school with a focus on science, technology, engineering and math that will be open to children ages 3-9, per the school's website. The school is accepting student applications for the 2024-25 school year, with a tentative start date in September.
"Ad Astra’s mission is to foster curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking in the next generation of problem solvers and builders," the school's website said.
Ad Astra is described as a "non-profit educational institution" that works with Xplor Education on its Montessori curriculum. The school will include both primary and lower education "environments," per the job listing.
The program is poised to cap its capacity at just shy of 50 students, with 18 primary students (ages 3-6) and 30 lower elementary students (ages 6-9).
The posting stressed educators were needed by July and preferred candidates would have the following credentials:
- Hold an Association Montessori Internationale primary diploma
- Have earned bachelor's and/or master's degrees in any subject
- Have five or more years of experience working as a Montessori guide
- Live in the greater Austin region
- Have the skills needed "to additionally assume Head of School responsibilities"
Ad Astra first began 10 years ago on SpaceX's California campus as a schooling resource for Musk's children and several of his employees' kids, per March reporting from The New York Times.
The upcoming Bastrop site will be situated on a former 40-acre horse ranch, per the job posting. The acreage is located off FM 969, according to March reporting from the Austin Business Journal. Elsewhere in Bastrop is The Boring Company, another Musk creation that specializes in infrastructure work and tunnel construction services.
More details on the school are available online.